The Washington critic., 1887-10-26
TOPICS OF THE DAY.

ton correspondent: About two.thirds
Of all the Department clerks who are
young and unmarried take course at
one Of the law colleges. Many Of them
come here fresh from school, full OF
ambition and determined to resign their
clerkships Immediately upon finishing
their course at the law college. There
are hundreds of men In the different
departments to day who came to Wash.
ington with the same determination.
They would take advantage of the fine
opportunities to become lawyers, and
then resign and go West to make q
name. The fascination OF holding a
Government office with regular
salary and short and easy working
hours proved too alluring, and they are
Department clerks still. Ayoung man
here who is Department clerk is re.
quired TO be at the office only seven
hours out Of twenty. four. His salary
is generally about twice or three times
the amount of his necessary expenses.
The Congressional Library, the Su.
preme Court Library, and dozen
other good collections are at his
command. The law lectures, often
given by eminent jurists, begin
at g o'clock In the evening, and are
over before 8, so that he has plenty Of
time, both before and after lectures, for
recreation. This is why there are SO
many law students here. The reason
why so few Of them become lawyers Is
because they cannot nerve themselves
to resign their places In the Depart.
ments, where the work is easy and gen.
teel, and their salaries ample to provide
them with a comfortable living There
was one young man In last years
classes who was an exception to this
rule. He is an Irlshman. and has for
years kept saloon on one of the lead
Ing avenues. lie is smart and ambi.
tlous. He put his brother behind the
bar in the evenings, while he went to a
law college. He took a five years
course and graduated with honors.
To-day he has suite of law offices
down by the Court House, and has a
flrst.rate practice. He Is q genuine
1rishman, with intelligence, push, wit
and rich brogue. His name Is on
his office door, and also still remains
over his saloon. He Is doing good
business at both stands.
~
The same correspondent relates the
following Incident: The gates OF
Arlington snap shut at sundown. This
has been their custom since Secretary
Stanton bought the place and con.
verted 1t into National cemetery In
1864. For twenty three years visitors
who make Arlington the object of an
evening drive, have listened nervously
for the dreadful boom of the sunse,
gun at Fort Myer, near by. On
Wednesday night young navy officer,
who is very proud of his fine blooded
mare, took young lady out for ride.
After making call on the family OF
one of the officers at Fort Myer, they
thought they would 60 down through
Arlington to the Long Bridge. As the
fine blooded mare was walking leisurely
down the hill in front OF Arlington
House, the sunset gun doomed. The
young officer turned white and lashed
his mare. only to find the central gate
shut when he reached It moment
later. Whipping across the grass he
made for the north gate. That, too,
was shut. Then he dashed off to
the south gate. That, too, was closed,
and no one was in sight. In despair
the prisoners went up the hill to the
mansion, where they were told that
the superintendent had all the keys,
and had gone over TO Georgetown to
spend the evening. The keys are never
kept inside the cemetery. There was
nothing to do but batter down the
gates with sledge hammer. This the
sialwart young Lieutenant tried to do,
but that also failed. AS the fading
light reminded him that something
must be done, he concluded to leave
his horse and 60 home afoot. The
mare was unhitched and turned loose
to Craze among the graves, and the
navy man boosted his companion over
the high wall that surrounds Arlington
himself leaped over. and they trudged
of on the long walk homeward. The
next morning the Lieutenant took
another walk, caught his mare and
drove home, resolving never to visit
Arlington again as long as the sun sets.
~.
The notices of the sudden death of
Judge Ellet after having made the
speech of welcome at the Cleveland
reception In Memphis, recalls to the St.
Louis GloJe Democrat very slngula,
fact. II Is that many OF those who
have been regarded as the most typica
nF a
birth. Ellet was a Northern man o
great ability, and even In his youth {
man remarked among such intellectua
giants as Prentiss and Quitman, alsC
men of Northern birth. Curious anec
dotes are told of Prentlss, A native O
New England, he migrated to til,
West early in life Coming down tn,
Ohio river, he determined to locate q
Cincinnati, but was so disgusted at tn,
amount of apples given him for q
cents that he returned to the boat ant
went down the river to Vicksburg
Prentiss was great hand to spree
During one OF these drinking bouts 1t
New Orleans, he threw eleven empty
champagne bottles, one after another
through hole made In the wall for
stovepipe. lie then told his negro boy
who was attending upon him to ge
upon the table and set the punch how
on his head, and II he failed t
knock II off with au empty bottle h
would deed him his freedom. Til
negro boy declined upon the grounl
that he was afraid Prentlss might mis-
the bowl and strike his hcad-the yer,
thing that would have set him free
This Gas always n favorite anecdot
with Prentiss, illustrating to his min,
that the negro was hardly capable o
freedom. In Arkansas Albert Pix